Well, I have said in my reply what would work. That is to do the hard and dirty job of calling the representatives one at a time, explain to them our situations, and try to gain their support. I have been doing that myself, along with many IV members, but we still need more people to participate, because the power comes from numbers.

As to the letter you posted, well it may be the first time IV got companies to write and sign them. But this is at least the third such letter I saw in the past two years, some from big companies, other from state governers. Have they changed anything? No. Were they a 'big victory' or a 'big step'? I doubt it. It's not like you have converted some anti-highly skilled immigration companies to pro-immigration companies. As far as I can tell, these companies have been holding pro-highly skilled immigration postion since many years ago. They favor US educated STEM, they favor increasing EB quota. So why is it so hard to get them agree on something they have been advocating?

btw: I know work is tough and criticizing is easy. But as a public organization, if you can't take criticizes, you can't improve.

The goal is to continually keep the issue in the limelite. There is no one single action item that will just make the lawmakers suddenly flip the switch and fix the law. I truely believe that all the different efforts IV has done in the past and continue to do will keep up the momentum and eventually yield results. The effort can be anything like a rally, letter or call campaign, funding drives, media drives, lobbying etc with some having more impact than the others. But through these different and creative campigns we are creating awareness and not taking our foot from the pedal. If we take it off the lawmakers have very short term memory and the issue will be conveniently forgotten especially in an election year.

JCHAN, you believe that criticism leads to improvement. Doctor, why dont you heal thyself? Let me help you by doling out a healthy mix of criticism, in the interest that you improve...

For one, you come across as a lazy, doubting Thomas that is ironically using an online letter (i.e. your posts) to try to change the nature of the campaign. If you thought your words would not make a difference, because it is merely a letter, why waste your time and precious energy in your little finger by typing a message and a reparte?

Second, if you believe that writing letters is not useful, tell us what is. Public policy and framing of legislation is a complex dynamic that very few understand, but many like to pontificate on. The letter campaign is critical to ensure that in the midst of competing priorities and noise, our cause is not forgotten or closer to the bottom of the barrel.

So, before you go on and expose the depths of your avowed ignorance and shall I say, intolerance, let us figure out constructive ways to strengthen the voice of high skilled legal immigration instead of flexing your mirage-muscle by aiming to criticize a 'public organization'.

Well, I have said in my reply what would work. That is to do the hard and dirty job of calling the representatives one at a time, explain to them our situations, and try to gain their support. I have been doing that myself, along with many IV members, but we still need more people to participate, because the power comes from numbers.

As to the letter you posted, well it may be the first time IV got companies to write and sign them. But this is at least the third such letter I saw in the past two years, some from big companies, other from state governers. Have they changed anything? No. Were they a 'big victory' or a 'big step'? I doubt it. It's not like you have converted some anti-highly skilled immigration companies to pro-immigration companies. As far as I can tell, these companies have been holding pro-highly skilled immigration postion since many years ago. They favor US educated STEM, they favor increasing EB quota. So why is it so hard to get them agree on something they have been advocating?

btw: I know work is tough and criticizing is easy. But as a public organization, if you can't take criticizes, you can't improve.

We had organized a calling campaign too and focussed on specific members whose support was needed. But the number of people who called was not significant enough.

We were also able to add a few co sponsors due to the efforts of state chapters.

We are willing to try other ideas too. The ultimate goal is most important. With this letter we can see that industry leaders have solely focussed on Greencard issue. Leaders have also put their weight behind the 3 bills that are critical to us. This we believe is a big step. We see this as a success of IV's advocacy efforts over the past 2.5 years.

We had organized a calling campaign too and focussed on specific members whose support was needed. But the number of people who called was not significant enough.

We were also able to add a few co sponsors due to the efforts of state chapters.

We are willing to try other ideas too. The ultimate goal is most important. With this letter we can see that industry leaders have solely focussed on Greencard issue. Leaders have also put their weight behind the 3 bills that are critical to us. This we believe is a big step. We see this as a success of IV's advocacy efforts over the past 2.5 years.

[COLOR="DarkRed"]If you think the letters do not work, tell us what would work. We will work together and take that up.

It is very easy to criticize. But very difficult to execute an idea. It is not easy to get various organizations, company leaders to agree on 3 bills, let alone be willing to put their signature on a letter.

This is the first time, Immigrationvoice has been able to take part in this effort where Industry leaders, organizations and Immigrationvoice have together brought this issue to the attention of the lawmakers. Also note the absence of H1B in the letter. This is a big victory for us as industry and other organizations have begun to understand the greencard issue and how important it is to fix.

Even if the bills do not pass, this is definitely a big step towards Immigrationvoice goals.[/COLOR]

Well, I have said in my reply what would work. That is to do the hard and dirty job of calling the representatives one at a time, explain to them our situations, and try to gain their support. I have been doing that myself, along with many IV members, but we still need more people to participate, because the power comes from numbers.

As to the letter you posted, well it may be the first time IV got companies to write and sign them. But this is at least the third such letter I saw in the past two years, some from big companies, other from state governers. Have they changed anything? No. Were they a 'big victory' or a 'big step'? I doubt it. It's not like you have converted some anti-highly skilled immigration companies to pro-immigration companies. As far as I can tell, these companies have been holding pro-highly skilled immigration postion since many years ago. They favor US educated STEM, they favor increasing EB quota. So why is it so hard to get them agree on something they have been advocating?

btw: I know work is tough and criticizing is easy. But as a public organization, if you can't take criticizes, you can't improve.

jchan:

I have to disagree with you. As the Chinese philosopher Confucius told, every 1000 mile journey begins with the first step.

Do you think that Moses would have lead the children of Israel from the bondage of the Pharaoh's tyranny to the promised land if he thought it would not work.

Would British empire be brought to its knees because Mahatma Gandhi thought that Ahimsa would not work.

Do you think African American in US would have voting rights and equal opportunity if Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other blacks had not marched from Selma to Montgomery in Alabama.

Has not sending of flowers to Dr. Emilio Gonzalez captured the media's attention last summer. Didn't USCIS accept i-485 filing last July at the original fee structure? If these letters and IV campaigns doesn't work what else does?

Immigrationvoice is a cosignatory of this letter and we are working with business leaders to push for these 3 bills[/COLOR]

July 17, 2008
Dear Member of Congress:
As U.S. employers, education institutions, and trade associations representing the future of American
innovation, we are writing to urge your support for three bills that will make necessary incremental
adjustments to the employment-based (EB) green card system. The measures – H.R. 6039, H.R. 5921
and H.R. 5882 – enjoy bipartisan support and should be enacted without delay this year.
America’s scientific and technological leadership is at a crossroads. To remain the world leader in
innovation, U.S. employers must have access to much-needed and sought-after highly educated talent –
including scientists, researchers, teachers and medical professionals. Foreign-born professionals make
great contributions to the U.S. economy and create good, high-paying jobs for all Americans.
U.S. employers rely on EB green cards to keep foreign-born talent living, working and innovating in
America. Yet, despite the critical importance of these visas, Congress has failed to address the well
documented backlogs in the EB green card system that leave some foreign-born, highly educated
professionals waiting over six to 10 years to receive a permanent resident visa.
The three bills will address many shortcomings in the EB green card system. For example:
• H.R. 6039, by exempting highly educated, foreign-born students earning an advanced degree in
science, technology, engineering or mathematics from a U.S. university from the annual EB green
card limit, would help U.S. employers retain these talented individuals in the U.S. workforce. For
example, foreign nationals comprise half of the master’s and 70 percent of the Ph.D.s in electrical
engineering from U.S. universities.
• H.R. 5921 will help put an end to multi-year wait times by eliminating unduly restrictive per
country limits on EB green cards.
• H.R. 5882 will help to reduce visa backlogs by “recapturing” EB green cards from prior years
that went unused due to government processing delays and making them available immediately to
those who meet the requirements.
Without these incremental reforms, U.S. employers will continue to be crippled in the global competition
for the world’s best talent, as more and more extremely valuable professionals from around the world
take their education and abilities to competitors abroad.
While permanent reforms for the EB green card system will be critical to U.S. employers’ long-term
ability to hire and retain key worldwide talent, H.R. 6039, H.R. 5921 and H.R. 5882 are common sense,
incremental reforms that should be enacted this year. We again urge your support for these important
measures.
Sincerely,

This is another excellent opportunity to keep the issue in focus and highlight it to the people who matter. Every drop adds to the ocean and every step adds to the walk. So I support this effort and congratulate IV on this effort